title: Strategies for the prevention of acute mountain sickness and treatment for large groups making a rapid ascent in China.
abstract: Approximately 26.8% of China's land area has an elevation of 3000 m above sea level or higher. Because of recent demands for economic development and new construction in highland areas, many people have relocated from the plains to high plateau regions and have to face the possibility of contracting acute mountain sickness. Therefore, prevention and treatment strategies are necessary to reduce the incidence of acute mountain sickness in people who rapidly ascend to plateau areas. This paper describes the Chinese experience when large numbers of people moved to the plateau and the steps that were taken to deal with this illness. These steps included implementing basic prevention measures, increasing medical awareness among populations ascending to high altitudes, and installing standardized medical management systems to prevent and treat acute mountain sickness before, during, and after ascent. The incidence of acute mountain sickness can be reduced by improving prevention and treatment and by implementing the recommendations described in this manuscript.
authors.affiliation: Department of Military Medical Geography, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400038, China; Key Laboratory of High Altitude Medicine (Ministry of Education), Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400038, China; Key Laboratory of High Altitude Medicine (People's Liberation Army), Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400038, China.
authors.forename: Yongjun
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.forename: Xiaohong
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Yuqi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Gao
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000532:Altitude Sickness / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D009051:Mountaineering / Q000502:physiology; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: Acute mountain sickness; High altitude cerebral edema; High altitude pulmonary edema; Tibetan plateau